49ers and Garoppolo reportedly agree to $137.5 million deal

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SANTA CLARA – Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers have struck a deal that will make him the highest-paid player in the NFL, according to reports.

Garoppolo agreed Thursday to a five-year, $137.5 million contract, as reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Raj Mathai of NBC Bay Area broke the news that the deal had been reached.

At an annual average salary of $27.5 million, Garoppolo would supplant Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford ($27 million) as the league’s highest-paid player. Garoppolo’s contract will pay $90 million over the first three years, He is guaranteed $74 million.

A swift resolution to the contract negotiations comes comfortably ahead of free agency next month, as well as the franchise-tag window from Feb. 20 to March 6.

After arriving from New England in an Oct. 31 trade and revitalizing the 49ers with his 5-0 December debut, Garoppolo proved himself a keeper, and an increasingly expensive one.

Absent a long-term deal, the 49ers could have designated Garoppolo as their "franchise" player, thus committing a 2018 salary worth over $23 million.

"You have our assurances, and the fans do, that we’d like nothing more than to make him a Niner for a long, long time," 49ers general manager John Lynch said Jan. 2.

Garoppolo, 26, earned $3.5 million his first four season from his rookie contract. He also cashed in with a $135,000 cut from the Patriots’ playoff bonuses this past month.

Garoppolo is the only quarterback in 49ers history to win his first five starts.

"It was kind of a perfect match and it just happened at the right time and good things are coming from it," Garoppolo said after a season-ending win over the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 31.

A measuring stick for Garoppolo’s deal likely was the Raiders’ last June with quarterback Derek Carr, who got $70 million guaranteed as part of a five-year, $125 million pact. Another potential factor was former 49ers QB Alex Smith’s impending extension once his trade to Washington from Kansas City becomes official next month (four years, $94 million; $71 million guaranteed).

Curing their quarterback crisis frees the 49ers to fill other needs in free agency come March 14 and the draft on April 26-28.

"It’s nice, because we don’t have to go in to free agency or the draft trying to answer that question right away," coach Kyle Shanahan said after the season-ending win over the Rams. "(Quarterback) is a big spot and that’s where it starts."

Garoppolo was instrumental in turning around Shanahan’s first season as coach, arriving from the Super Bowl-bound Patriots while the 49ers were 0-8. They fell to 0-9 and were 1-10 before he became their starter.

Garoppolo’s 1,542 yards were the most by a 49ers quarterback through five starts. They were league’s third most over the final five games, as he averaged a NFL-best 8.76 yards per attempt.

Garoppolo is 7-0 all-time as a starter, including his two starts in place of a suspended Tom Brady to open the 2016 season, though a shoulder sprain knocked Garoppolo out of that second start. The only other NFL quarterbacks since 1970 to go unbeaten through seven starts are Ben Roethlisberger (15; 2004 Steelers) and Mike Tomczak (10; 1986-87 Bears).

Shanahan vowed that the 49ers will "always" be aggressive in free agency, and, with over $100 million in salary cap space, they have the financial capabilities this offseason beyond making Garoppolo rich.

Where did the quarterback position rate among the 49ers’ needs before Garoppolo’s arrival? "It was pretty high," Shanahan acknowledged Jan. 2.

Since Shanahan’s arrival, many expected the 49ers to pursue Washington’s Kirk Cousins this year. Garoppolo changed that path. Now with Alex Smith traded from Kansas City to Washington, Cousins will be coveted on the free-agent market by teams who need him more than the 49ers.

Still high on the 49ers’ priority list are cornerback, edge rusher, wide receiver, offensive linemen and running back, especially if they don’t re-sign center Daniel Kilgore and running back Carlos Hyde.

A month after arriving and learning the playbook, Garoppolo triumphantly debuted as the 49ers starter near his hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois, defeating the Chicago Bears 15-14 and throwing for more yards (293) than any 49ers quarterback in a starting debut.

Garoppolo’s first four starts produced second-half comebacks, and Robbie Gould field goals made the difference to cap fourth-quarter rallies over the Bears and the Tennessee Titans.

"He came in and he didn’t try to do anything out of his personality, he just was himself and guys enjoyed him," Shanahan said after the season-closing win over the Los Angeles Rams.

"Whether before he played, to his first game, to the way he acts now, he’s been the same every day and when you act that way guys respect it and he’s been great out on the field, too."

The 49ers agreed Oct. 30 to acquire Garoppolo for a 2018 second-round draft pick. Also part of the equation, in a round-about way, was the 49ers season-opening starter Brian Hoyer, who was released and promptly signed by the Patriots.

Garoppolo made a three-snap debut in place of an injured C.J. Beathard to end a Nov. 26 home loss the Seattle Seahawks, and a touchdown pass to Louis Murphy ended the 24-13 defeat.

Beathard, a 2017 third-round draft pick, gained widespread respect for his toughness upon replacing Hoyer in Week 6. Beathard went 1-4 as a starter, snapping the franchise’s historic 0-9 start with a 31-21 home win over the New York Giants on Nov. 12 to earn one last start before Garoppolo’s promotion.

Garoppolo joined Jim Plunkett (1976) and Elvis Grbac (1995-96) as the only ones to win their first three road starts.

"We’ve asked him to do a lot of things here in this last month that he hasn’t done before like our bootlegs, some of our play action," Shanahan said after beating the Rams. "… He did a hell of a job starting way behind in the small time he played and I expect him to keep getting better."

As does Garoppolo, who said Jan. 1: "Having time to digest the offense this offseason will really help. It was kind of a crash course we were doing these last couple months. That will make things a little slower for me and help me out."